Global Fund Moves to Increase Supply of Essential HIV Medicines

Global efforts to expand access to life-saving HIV prevention medicines have received a major boost after the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced new measures to increase supply and reach millions more people worldwide.

The move, supported by the United States Government and pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, focuses on expanding access to Lenacapavir, a long-acting HIV prevention drug that experts believe could significantly reduce new infections.

The Global Fund said it aims to reach up to 3 million people by 2028 through expanded distribution of lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable medication used for HIV prevention.

Initial deliveries of the drug have already been made to nine African countries, with plans to extend supplies to 12 additional countries, including Rwanda, Morocco, Indonesia, Thailand, Fiji and the Dominican Republic.

The expanded effort builds on a 2025 agreement between the Global Fund and Gilead Sciences, which committed to supplying enough doses to reach up to 2 million people over three years in low-income nations.

Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund, emphasized the urgency of scaling up access.

“Long-acting lenacapavir could reshape HIV prevention by overcoming some of the structural challenges that have long constrained uptake. The task now is to translate scientific progress into broad, equitable access -at speed and at scale.”

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A Breakthrough in HIV Prevention

Lenacapavir represents a major shift in HIV prevention because it is administered just twice a year, offering a more convenient alternative to daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) pills.

Health experts say the injectable format helps overcome common barriers such as missed doses and limited access to medication supplies.

Early data from ongoing programmes show strong uptake among key populations, including:

• Pregnant and breastfeeding women
• Adolescent girls and young women
• Individuals using HIV prevention medication for the first time

These findings suggest that the new drug could help reach groups that previously struggled with consistent prevention methods.

Concerns Over Limited Reach

Despite the positive developments, humanitarian group Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has raised concerns about whether the rollout is happening quickly enough.

Tom Ellman, Director of MSF’s Southern Africa Medical Unit, warned that the scale of the programme remains far below what is needed.

“Any expanded access to lenacapavir is a good thing, but reaching only one million more people in three years is a tiny fraction of what’s needed to make a real dent in the HIV epidemic.”

MSF argues that deeper systemic barriers, including pricing, distribution challenges, and health system limitations, must be addressed to ensure equitable access for communities most at risk.

Push for Affordable Generic Versions

To expand long-term availability, Gilead Sciences has issued voluntary licenses to several manufacturers to produce generic versions of lenacapavir.

This move is expected to:

• Increase global supply
• Reduce costs significantly
• Enable wider rollout across low-income regions

Large-scale production of generic versions is expected to begin as early as 2027, which could dramatically improve affordability and accessibility.

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Hui Yang, Head of Supply Operations at the Global Fund, said strengthening the supply chain is central to the strategy.

“By expanding our supplier base through both the original and generic manufacturers, we are working to ensure sustainable, affordable access at scale.”

Global Momentum Against HIV

The renewed push comes at a time when global health agencies are seeking innovative tools to reduce new HIV infections, which remain a major public health challenge.

With approximately 1.3 million new HIV infections reported globally each year, expanding access to highly effective prevention methods is seen as critical to slowing the spread of the virus.

Public health experts say long-acting medicines like lenacapavir could mark a turning point in the decades-long fight against HIV, particularly in regions with high infection rates, including parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

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Health CS Aden Duale during the launch of Lenacapavir at Riruta Health Centre. PHOTO/MoH X.